Each year, the TASH Conference brings together a diverse community of stakeholders who gain information, learn about resources, and connect with others across the country to strengthen the disability field. This year’s conference theme, “Still We Rise for Equity, Opportunity, and Inclusion,” shows the resilience of individuals with disabilities and their families across the lifespan. Conference attendees will celebrate their passion for disability rights, civil rights, and human rights while exploring inclusive communities, schools, and workplaces that support people with disabilities, including those with complex support needs. Return to TASH website.

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There have been inspiring changes in curriculum and instruction for students with disabilities since the Education for all Handicapped Children Act of 1975. At the elementary level there has been increasing success at accessing the general curriculum and creating rich social relationships. If we were to take a reading of secondary inclusion what might it look like? What happens when we are forced to face the mystical business of building futures? Do we dismiss the principles of inclusion and fall back on the time worn life skills pedagogy in classrooms with stoves or should we move with confidence into the very heart of secondary culture? I would like to propose an open sharing of what contemporary secondary inclusion looks like and why it looks that way and what the future might offer. The discussion would explore these key navigational inquiries 1) Segregated settings which offer conservative functional curriculum create social and academic inequality. Is this countered by consistently successful transition outcomes. How successful are segregated secondary programs at creating good lives? 2) inclusive education has revealed that learning is continuous for us all. Does it still make sense to offer youth with disabilities a narrow curriculum of daily living or should we be offering the full menu of what secondary curriculum can provide? 3)In an effort to guide self determination in transition planning is it better to focus youth with disabilities into a career based curriculum or allow them to sample all of the curriculum choices that youth without disabilities experience. How do we best guide informed choice about personal futures? 4) Is it possible to embed functional skill training in general education environments or is there evidence that these skills are better taught in resource rooms? What is the better way to invite transfer and generalization after graduation? 5) A variety of social relationships are created by youth when they share space and time inside high school course work. Is there evidence that relationships between youth with and without disabilities are formed in inclusive secondary classrooms? Is there still an over reliance on educational assistants? Do the outcomes of community based instruction justify the loss of belonging in high school environments?

Spectrum Society supports about 140 folks in their neighbourhoods in individualised ways in greater Vancouver. We have also been involved in small press publishing, self advocate supports, community based research and training for other groups. I am also a board member for TLC in... Read More →